Good Morning America on Friday featured an all liberal "Morning Mix" panel to bash conservatives, tout liberal talking points about the midterm elections and the stupidity of Sarah Palin. Additionally, host George Stephanopoulos dismissed the Republican gains, claiming, "...We see, now, every two years, the country just says throw everybody out. Again, it's happened all the time."
Actually, it hasn't. Tuesday's GOP landslide was the biggest swing in House seats since 1948. Journalist Deborah Norville appeared on the panel to interpret the election results as a call for compromise: "Because, clearly, the message of this vote on Tuesday was that Americans are sick of the status quo."
Liberal actress Patricia Clarkson offered bromides about the new Republican majority: "I think the party of no is going to be the party of uh-oh. 'Cause they're not going to get anything done. They're going to see exactly what [Obama's] been up against."
Rounding out these standard liberal cliches, the Jumanji actress slammed Sarah Palin as dumb: "...Call me crazy, but I would like my President to be the smartest person in the room. And I don't know that she can ever be that."
ABC's Morning Mix panel used to have a more diverse guest list, often times at least having one conservative. Lately it's become more and more of a liberal echo chamber. On the October 27 edition, Daily Beast editor Tina Brown referred to Jon Stewart as "the only trusted branch of government." Comedian D.L. Hughley dismissed Tea Partiers as racist.
A transcript of the November 5 segment, which aired at 8:17am EDT, follows:
[Tina Fey on Letterman, doing her Sarah Palin impression]
TINA FEY: When all her momma grizzlies are winning and they're busting through, busting through that class ceiling. And the momma grizzlies are going to Washington. And they're going to flip their gonna flip your picnic table, Dave.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Tina Fey dusting off her Sarah Palin impression after the GOP's big night, Tuesday. That electoral earthquake just one of the topics on the topics on today's Morning Mix. Joining me around the table today, the anchor of Inside Edition, Deborah Norville, and Academy Award nominated actress Patricia Clarkson, star of the movie Cairo Time. It's out on DVD November 30. And thanks, both of you, for coming in. So much to talk about this week. We have got to start with this election. It really was an earthquake. And the President had to come out the day after and take his medicine. Let's show a little bit of that.
BARACK OBAMA: I'm not recommending for every future president that they take a shellacking like I did last night. You know, I'm sure there's easier ways to learn these lessons.
STEPHANOPOULOS: He was smiling by the end of the press conference, Deborah. He finally came out with that word, shellacking. It took him a while, it seems, to absorb these results.
DEBORAH NORVILLE (Anchor, Inside Edition): It took him a while. And it seems to still be taking a while. That press conference, what was interesting, is he expressed concern for the members of Congress who lost their seats because they, I think, as you put it, stood up for what they believed in voting for the Obama Care policy and the continuation of the stimulus. But he never associated their vote to his particular program. Subsequent to that, you know, Robert Gibbs came out and said we would be open to the extension of the Bush tax cuts. So, I think there is a process that is continuing on even to today.
STEPHANOPOULOS: He's going from denial to acceptance.
PATRICIA CLARKSON: Well, I also think he's still has a little something to smile about. He still has the Senate. And what can they really do, to be honest? I mean, even if it gets through the House, it has to get through the Senate. He still has all the power.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Has that veto.
CLARKSON: He still has the veto power. I think the party of no is going to be the party of uh-oh. 'Cause they're not going to get anything done. They're going to see exactly what he's been up against.
STEPHANOPOULOS: That's part of the hope, I think, of a lot of Democrats, Deborah. Now that Republicans have control of the House, they going to have to share responsibility.
CLARKSON: They're going to have to take- yes.
NORVILLE: I think what they're all going to have to do is they're going to have to I find a way to be conciliatory towards each other. Because, clearly, the message of this vote on Tuesday was that Americans are sick of the status quo. And they want to see movement on the issues they care about, which are fundamentally jobs and the economy.
STEPHANOPOULOS: That's exactly right and, you know, we see, now, every two years, the country just says throw everybody out. Again, it's happened all the time. And they do want, they do want to see the parties start to work together. Whether we're going to see that or not, I don't know.
NORVILLE: Hope springs eternal.
CLARKSON: But I actually think they're going to have to, John Boehner- everybody's going to have to come together. And I think he's going to have to spend a little less time in the tanning salon and-
[Stephanopoulos laughs.]
STEPHANOPOULOS: You know, he actually started- he faded over the course of the campaign.
CLARKSON: What was that great quote? Something- why make orange aid when you're [sic]
NORVILLE: What he said to Diane was that it wouldn't be a Slurpee summit, but there might be a nice bottle of Merlot that comes.
STEPHANOPOULOS: My guess is you will see President Obama and John Boehner on the golf course before year's end. They want to see that picture. How about Sarah Palin though?
NORVILLE: If for no other reason than we get to continue to see Tina Fey.
CLARKSON: Yes.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Let's see how she declared victory the other night.
[Clip of Sarah Palin PAC commercial.]
CLARKSON: Her own show. Finally. Which is exactly what she should be doing.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Reality shows?
CLARKSON: Not running for President?
NORVILLE: Not politics?
CLARKSON: -Is her show. No. I just, you know, call me crazy, but I would like my President to be the smartest person in the room. And I don't know that she can ever be that. But, you know, I do think that she's a great personality. I think she has a lot to offer, in terms of- for the Tea Party, for the Republican Party, for television, in general. But-
STEPHANOPOULOS: That's the question. What game is she playing here?
NORVILLE: Well, I think she's playing the Sarah Palin game. But I think she's done it in an ingenious way of allowing that game to include a great segment of Americans who feel like they've been disenfranchised, who feel like no one is been speaking voice to their concerns. And the commercial that you just ran, the last thing she talked about, is we can do it together. Going back to the earlier point. People are tired of the divisiveness. And when Sarah Palin, as polarizing a character as she can be, talks about togetherness, it does resonate.
CLARKSON: But, they do have to move, The Republicans have voted against every, single thing that President Obama has tried to do. And somebody's got to move. Somebody's got to give. And she's responsible. They are now coming out against, you know, they were going to maybe go soft on trying to trying to reform Obama Care. And they're already up in arms about it.
